Front-axle brace



J SPOHR FRONT AXLE BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1920.

1,342,555 14:. 1 Patented June 8, 1920.

mwwwR JOHN SPOHR A TTORNE Y.

JOHN .S Q B r scam- 0 LL I essm ps 7-130,1i.OW!%-1?I.JR-v rem t or EQEIGAGO,

. lw rol FBQNf l-A B AC I Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented 11mg 8 Application filed- January 29, 1920. Serial No. 354,895.

To allwh'om it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHNYSP-QHR, 3.0113] zen of the Unitedstates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook; and, State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in "Front-Axle Braces, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvedform of front axle brace adapted for use lparticularly in connection with motor vehicles. With certain types of motorvehicles where a cross spring isused to support the frame of the vehicle from the front axle, braces are employed extending -r.earw-ardly from the front axle to the body of the vehicle. In connection with brzices-of-this-kind d-ifiiculties have arisen in the past eitl1er' from connecting the braces to the transmission cases orfrom constructing the brace in such a manner that-the connections are rigid and as a result the connecting devices are loosened when the brace is in use.- By my i-nvention I provide a construction whichisreadily adaptable to different dimensions betweenthe frame and the front axle and-by which resilient devices are provided in the connection between=the axle and the frame of the vehicle so that the shocks are not communicatedto the frame and furthermore my device consists of a plurality of parts which may readily be movedin practically any direction to' 'secure a proper -relation'of the parts and a proper operationof-the parts afterthey are-secured in place.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying draw ngs showing a preferred form thereof, in which- Figure 1 shows thebrace-andits connected parts in top view,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, r r

Fig. 3 is side elevation to a reduced scale of a brace and its connected partsin place .onthe front end of a motor vehicle and Fig 4 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 taken along the line I n Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 my brace 10 consists preferably of a casting or forging.

of suitable material such as iron or steel having near one end a shoulder 11 from which a cylindrical portion 12 projects through a ball 13 used to secure the brace toithe fastening devices connected with the frame of the vehicle. The cylindrical portion 12 carries on either side of the ball 13 springs 14 and 15 which are held in-place by a nut-16 secured to the-end of'said'cylindrical portion. The ball 13 is a sliding-fit onthe portion12 as a result of which'any shocks communicated to the brace are cush ioned bythe springs 14C and 15. The'ball 13 is contained in a socket 1'7-carriedby the lower end of a stud 18 which is of cylindrical conformation and is a-sliding fit inthe tubu lar member or extension 19 formed on the bracket 20 formed to be secured to the side frame member of the vehicle. A clam-ping device in the form of a set screw 21 is pro videdto'hold the stud 18 in any desired positionin the tubular extension 19. A cap 22 is secured to the socket '17 to inclosethe ball'13 by bolts 23 between the heads of which andthe cap '22, springs 24 arelocated to cushion shocks that may be communi cated to the ball by movement of the brace 10. The brace, 10 has formed on its other end a boss 25 anda flange 26 for engaging the front axle 27 of the vehicle in-the manner indicated-in Fig. 3 in which view the f brace 10 is shown secured to said axle by means of-suitable bolts. In this. view the bracket 20 is shown as'secured to the side frame member 28 by suitable bolts.

It will be understood in connection with motor vehicles of the kind under consideration that there is a difference in different vehicles in the dimensionbetween the top of the axle 27 and the bottom of the frame mem- 1 her 28 as a result of which these brace constructions cannot be made with a fixed dimension without subjecting the brace and connected parts to strain-when it is attached to some of these vehicles. By my invention I obviate this difiiculty by providingthe til-- bular extension 19 to receivethe stud 18 so that by releasing the fastening device 21 the stud may readily be moved to the position required by the particular said dimension found in the vehicle to which the brace is to be attached. Inaddition to this the ball and socket connection provides a means for readily compensating for any slight irregularity of dimensions in other directions. It will be understood that one of these brace constructions is. employed on each end ofthe axle so that the axle as a whole is held in proper position by the braces.

From the construction above describedit will appear that I have provided a device by which the front axle of a motor vehicle may be braced Without placing any strains onthe brace construction in putting it in'place on the vehicle and furthermore that by my construction the strains or shocks exerted 'upon the axle in use, are

communicated directly to the side members of the frame of the vehicle and furthermore that, all said strains and shocks are cushioned by the construction described before they are exerted upon the saidframe. Furthermore' the ball and socket construction described provides that the front axle may move freely in a vertical direction to accommodate itself to differences in load and inequalities in the road bed without producing any strain on the brace construction and its connected parts.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment above described I do not however limit myself to this exact construction as I may employequivalents thereofknown to the art at the time 'of the filingof this application without departing from the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is: o .1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of anaxle, a frame member, a

brace secured at one end of said axle, a stud pivotally connected to the other end of said brace, and a bracket attached to said frame member, said bracket having a tubular extension for adjustably receiving said stud, and means for securing said stud in any desired position in said extension.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an axle, a frame member, a brace secured at one end to said axle, a stud pivotally connected to the other end .of said brace, and a bracket'attached to said frame member, said bracket having a tubular ex tension for adjustably receiving said stud,

means for securing said stud in any desired position insaid extension, and springsbetween said pivotal connection and said brace.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an axle, a frame member, a

brace secured at one end to saidaxle, a stud pivotally connected to the other end of said brace, and a bracket attached tosaid frame member, said bracket having a tubular ex- 7 tension for adjustably receiving said stud,

and means for securing said stud in any desired position in said extension, said brace and a socket engaging said ball and" 1.

carried by said stud, and, springs between said ivotal connection and said brace.

5. n a device of the class described, the combination of a brace, a stud pivotally connected to said brace, a bracket having a tubular extension for adjustably receiving said stud, and means for securing said stud in desired position in said tubular extension. 3

. 6.'In a device of the class described, the combination of, abrace, a stud pivotally connected to'said brace, a bracket having a ti tubular extension for adjustably receiving said stud, means for securing saidstud in desired position in said tubular extension,

and springs between saidpivotal 00111180- tion and saidbrace. I V v H 7.-In a device of the class described-,the combination of a brace, a stud pivotally connected to said brace, a bracket having a tubular extension for adjustably receiving 7 saidstud, and means for securing said stud in desired position insaid tubular extension, said plvotalconnectloncompris ng a ball carried by saidbrace and a socket engaging said'ball and carried by said stud.

8. In a device of the class described, the I combination of a brace, a stud pivotally connected to said brace, a bracket having a tubular extension for adjustably receiving said stud, means for securing said stud in desired position in said tubular extension,. said pivotal connection compris ingva ball carried by said brace and a socket engaging said ball and carried by said stud,'and springs between said pivotal connection and said brace. s

In witness whereof, -Ihereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of January A; D.

. 7 JOHN, SPOHR. 

